Reliable beast, the protege - 5 WWE stars Vince McMahon would want as the first World Heavyweight Champion
If Vince McMahon has a big say in WWE's reintroduction of the World Heavyweight Championship, it could be both a blessing and a curse. It does provide stars with another title to chase since Roman Reigns may be the Undisputed Champion forever.
Performers like Drew McIntyre, Cody Rhodes, Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, and many others will now get a chance to rule over their brand as a top champion.
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One drawback, however, is that it seems to benefit The Tribal Chief even more. He probably won't lose his titles for a while, further leaving the other top stars of the blue brand in the dust.
The Tribal Chief having both titles is the main reason for the new belt's introduction. At least the other stars will now have a chance to climb the mountain as Reigns continues his near 1,000-day run.
With Mr. McMahon having a final say in creative again, however, will a deserving star become the World Heavyweight Champion? Or could he go back to the well of pushing the same stars he did before his brief retirement?
Here are five stars Vince McMahon would likely pick to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
#5. Omos has been a Vince McMahon favorite for the last three years
Omos is a legitimate monster who has been a featured point of RAW during Vince McMahon's time in charge. The Nigerian Giant has wrestled matches against Bobby Lashley and Brock Lensar over the last two years at WrestleMania. He's also a former RAW Tag Team Champion alongside AJ Styles.
Monsters in wrestling are usually meant to be obstacles for the champions, but Braun Strowman, Big Show, and Bray Wyatt all captured gold.
Omos might still be green compared to most of the roster, but that didn't stop the Great Khali from winning a major title in WWE. The big man is also a free agent following the first night of Draft proceedings.
#4. Solo Sikoa has been heavily protected since his debut
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There were rumors that Solo Sikoa was being protected from losing due to a future bout with The Tribal Chief. That's possible since he has rarely been pinned this year. Cody Rhodes is one of the few stars to get a win over Sikoa.
It's no secret that the Bloodline is one of Vince McMahon's favorite groups of all time. Why else would both the Usos and Reigns have two-year runs atop their divisions?
Sikoa has received the same push, beating the returning Matt Riddle and both Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens in various matches since WrestleMania 39. This could all lead to Sikoa winning a major title if he is separated from the Bloodline.
He may have been drafted to SmackDown, but it's not like he hasn't been sent to RAW over the last few months. Stars like Omos and Dolph Ziggler have free-agent status, so it's not crazy to think Paul Heyman would try to negotiate something to benefit Sikoa and Reigns.
#3. Austin Theory is a future world champion
Like Omos, when Vince McMahon was on RAW during the pandemic, he had Austin Theory in a favorable spot as his on-screen protege. Theory received a multitude of undeserved opportunities, including winning Money in the Bank after losing the US title on the same night.
He may be the current United States Champion, but the addition of the World Heavyweight title might begin his career as a major player in WWE.
The WWE Draft will be adding different faces that could vie for the US title, so it could be time for the young upstart to move up the card. He's proven to have all of the tools needed to be a top star in WWE, and Vince McMahon is likely still a big fan.
#2. Roman Reigns looms heavily over WWE
Swerves in wrestling can be good or bad, but this would be the worst-case scenario for the WWE Universe. Vince McMahon's neverending push of Roman Reigns could somehow lead him to also win the World Heavyweight Championship.
A recent report has surfaced claiming that officials may want The Tribal Chief to surpass Hulk Hogan's title run of over 1,400 days. That would certainly hurt the main event scene on SmackDown as well as the top stars who were drafted to it.
The Chairman hasn't shied away from piling accolades on his top stars. It's why we're still amid Reigns' title run and why Charlotte Flair has nearly seven more title reigns than any other current female WWE star. Reigns could somehow weasel his way into this feud to prove his dominance.
#1. Brock Lesnar may come back for another title run
The Beast usually only competes in high-stakes matches or title bouts. With Reigns holding both major titles over the last year, he's fought big stars like Omos, Lashley, and of course, the Tribal Chief himself.
Vince McMahon might want to put a title on Lesnar to keep him happy and motivated. There's also that big merger between WWE and UFC to think about. Who better to highlight that new partnership than a former UFC Heavyweight Champion?
The Chairman might also want to reward one of his favorite stars by giving him the new title. Lesnar lost two extremely high-profile matches to Reigns, so Mr. McMahon might want the Beast atop RAW despite the likelihood of having another part-time champion.